Street cleaning equipment



April 20, 1955 s. VOELSTAD 3,178,746

STREET CLEANING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 5, 19212 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 5, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 7 Tyn n k7 United States Patent3,178,746 STREET CLEANING EQUIPMENT Sigfred Voelstad, Kverneland, NorwayFiled Oct. 3, 1962, Ser. No. 228,052 Claims. (Cl. 15-83) The presentinvention concerns street cleaning equipment and its primary object isto provide a machine of simple and cheap structure which will sweep updust, trash and other debris from the street as the machine travelstherealong and will deposit the swept up material continuously in areceptacle for periodic dumping as required.

I am, of course, aware that there have been machines for this generalpurpose but in accordance with my invention I provide a greatlysimplified machine, the machine being both simple in structure and easyto handle, as well as the efliciency of the machine being very high. Iprovide a machine embodying a sweeping brush and receptacle foraccumulating the material and mount this assembly upon a vehicle in sucha manner that it may be elevated relative to such vehicle and thereceptacle tilted over to dump the accumulated material directly into atransport or dump truck.

An important object of my invention is to provide a simple tiltablereceptacle which is maintained in its debris receiving position by meansof easily releasable locking means, said tiltable receptacle beingformed and arranged in such a manner relative to its tilting axle thatwhen released from said locking means it automaticaly tilts over intoits dumping position. For this purpose I mount a receptacle of generallyrectangular shape comprising a fiat bottom and flat upstandinglongitudinal side walls and one end wall adjacent the rotary brush onits tilting bolts on the main frame of the machine in such a manner thatthe part of the receptacle having no end wall is heavier than the otherpart relative to the tilting axle.

In accordance with my invention I provide locking means maintaining thereceptacle in the debris receiving position comprising flexible membersattached to the main frame adjacent the dumping edge of the receptacle,said flexible members having free hookshaped ends engaging saidreceptacle. The receptacle is released from engagement with saidhookshaped locking members by forcing the latter away, which is allowedby the flexibility of their material (spring steel), whereby thereceptacle automatically tilts over to its overweighted side of thetilting axle and in a generally vertical position with its end wall freeedge lowest dumps the accumulated debris.

The above-mentioned and more detailed and specific objects will bedisclosed in the course of the following specification reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, in which- FIG. 1 is a perspective viewof a street sweeper according to my invention, the sweeper beingelevated by means of the conventional lifting arms of an ordinarytractor and being placed over the loading area of a transport truck withthe receptacle in its dumping position (the tractor and the loading areabeing shown with dotted lines); the sweeping machine being provided witha water spraying system comprising a water tank, a pump, spray pipeswith nozzles; these parts not being shown in the FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the street sweeper with thereceptacle in its debris receiving position.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 are enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional viewspartially broken away to better illus trate the construction of thereceptacle and its locking members (the locking members in these figureshave somewhat shorter length than those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). FIG. 3shows the parts in a position just after the receptacle has beenreleased from the locking means, but before the 3,178,746 Patented Apr.20, 1965 tilting movement of the receptacle has started. FIG. 4 showsthe parts in a position with the hookshaped members in their lockingposition and just before the empty receptacle is forced into its debrisreceiving position.

FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically the driving motor and transmission meansfor the rotary brush and the water pump.

Referring now more particularly and by reference characters to thedrawings, I have shown my improved street sweeper mounted forwardly on aconventional tractor 21 and further illustrate the tractor as equippedwith verticaly movable arms 20. It is sufficient for purposes of thepresent disclosure to state that the sweeping machine is provided withfastening ears 19, to which the outer ends of the lifting arms 20 arereleasably mounted.

The street sweeper comprises a main frame or casing of plate materialhaving opposite side walls 5 and a curved roof, front and rear wall 6. Alarge, circular street sweeping brush 1 with a central axial shaft 1' ismounted in bearings (not shown) on the inner side of the side walls 5 ofthe frame. A sweeping tray 39 shaped to make close contact with thecircumference of the brush 1 is welded to the innerside of the walls 5and extends parallel to and in the entire length of the brush. The tray39 extends upwards to about the half height of the brush 1. A receptacleof generally rectangular shape comprising a flat bottom 2 withupstanding side walls 3 and one end wall 3 is mounted in front of thebrush 1 and the tray 39 on tilting bolts 4 extending through the sidewalls 5 of the frame. The height of the receptacle is about the same asthat of the tray 39 and it extends with its end wall 3' close to saidtray 39 and with its opposite end 2' close to the lower edge of theframe front wall 6. The front part of the receptacle relative to thetilting axle 4 is heavier than the rear part with the end wall 3.

The frame or casing 5, 6 is provided with road wheels 23, 23' andsurrounds the brush 1 and the tiltable receptable 2, 3, 3' from above.

A water tank 9 with a filling opening 10 is placed on and welded to thetop of the main frame 6 and spray pipes 12 are arranged around themachine, and these spray pipes 12 on the underside are provided withnozzles 14. The spray pipes on the longitudinal sides 5 of the machineare housed in casings 13. The spray pipes 12 are fed with water underpressure from the water tank 9 by means of a pump 32 via pipes 16.

With reference now to FIG. 5, a rotary motor 29 is arranged on the framefor driving both the brush 1 and the water pump 32 via chains 31, 34 andchain wheels 30, 33, 35. A jockey pulley 36 on a tiltable arm 37 whichis pivotally mounted at 38 and has a handle 17 arranged for assistingthe driving of the water pump and to allow stopping the same. Thesetransmission means are housed in casings 7 and 8.

On the outside of the front wall 6 are mounted three vertical lockingmembers 24, whose free ends 24' extend downwards adjacent the lower edgeof the front wall 6, said ends 24 being hook shaped and intendedfor'engagement with the bottom of the receptacle near its.

dumping edge 2'. The undersurface of said hook shaped ends 24' inclinesupwards and backwards. locking members 24 are made of spring steel andin order to provide the required flexibility the shafts of the members24 are bent outwards and downwards from their fastening point on themain frame.

A shaft 25 rotatable in bearings 27 is mounted between the lockingmembers 24 and the adjacent part of the front wall 6, this shaft 25being circular and provided with enlarged portions or earns 25' in thearea of the locking members 24. The earns 25' extend over about A of thecircumference of the shaft 25. In the normal position The of the shaft25, i.e. when the locking members 24, 24 engage the receptacle, thesecams 25 have no contact with the front wall 6 or the'members 24. Thecircular shaft25 has a press fit between the inner side of the lockingmembers 24 and the outside of the front wall 6 of the frame.

An upright handle 26 is rigidly attached to one of the outer ends of theshaft 25 for turning the shaft 25 when desired.

lows

ments by attachment to the lifting arms 20 of a tractor 21, the streetsweeper is positioned as shown in FIG. 2 with its road wheels 23, 23'and circular brush 1 in contact to the streetway.

The motor 29 rotates the 'brush'in the direction indicated by the arrowP as the tractor moves the machine in the direction of the arrow Pwhereby the brush sweeps debris from the street up along the sweep tray39, wherefrom the debris arrives in the receptacle 2, 3, 3 where it isaccumulated during a period of sweeping- The surrounding frame 5, 6 willprevent dust from being thrown upwards or sidewise relative to themachine and the'water spraying system will also aid to preventturbulence of dust. Assuming the receptacle to be satisfactorily filledwith accumulated debris, the machine is elevated to the position shownin FIG. 1, i.e., just above the loading area 22 of a transport truck(not shown), whereafter the handle 26 is'moved in the directionindicated by the arrow P whereby the shaft 25 is turned to the positionshown in FIG. 3, so that the cams '25 are brought into contact with theoutside of the front wall 6 of the main frame and hence enlarging thedistance between the wall 6 and the flexible locking members 24, thuscausing the.

members 24 to spring forwards (P and disengage the receptacle 2, 3, 3(see FIG; 3). Being thus released, the receptacle tilts in the directionof the arrow P and down to vertical dumping position (FIG. 1), wherebythe debris slips out of the receptacle and into the loading area 22 ofthe truck. 'The tilting movement is caused by the fact that thereceptacle tilting axle 4.

The handle is thereafter moved forwards, whereby the:

locking members '24 return to their. original position (FIG. 4).

After being emptied, the receptacle is forced in the di-.

with a corresponding cross member extending between the lifting arms 20of the tractor. When the top of the rod,

28 engages said cross member, .therod transfers some of My new andimproved street sweeper operates as fol-,

Being arranged for upwards and downwards I moveis heavier on the frontside of the for rotation about a normally-horizontal first axis, a panhaving a bottom mounted in said casing between said side walls, andbetween said brush and front wall, for pivoting about a second axisparallel with said first axis and adjacent said plane, from a firstposition in said plane to a second position normal thereto, said panbeing urged to.

second position, latch means carried by said front wall and resilientlyurged into position engaging and releasably holding said pan in its saidfirst position, and means carried by said casing and operable positivelyto move said latch means out of holding engagement with said pan formovement to said second position.-

2. The machine of claiml, said latch means comprising a plurality'oflatches each having a resilient shank fixed at one end to said frontwall,.in spaced relation therealong, each said latch having itsmid-portion offset from said front wall and terminating at its other endin a hook resiliently and yieldably urged to position releasablyengaging beneath the front edge of said pan when the same is-in firstposition, a shaft journaled on said front wall and extendinghorizontallytherealong between said wall and each offset portion of saidlatch, said shaft including eccentric cam means operable in response torotation of said shaft to'simultaneously force all said hooks free ofsaid pan.

3'. The machine of claim 2, each said hook having an upwardly andrearwardly inclined cam edge engageable by said pan as the latter isswung to first position, to thereby simultaneously cam all said hooksforwardly.

4. A street-sweeping machine adapted for mounting the weight of thesweeping machine to the lifting arms 20 to a point more rearward thanthe fastening points 19 and thus ensures that the machine maintains agenerally horizontal position during the upward and down- 7 wardmovements.

It is to be understood that suitable modifications may be made in thestructure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within thespirit and scope of the appending claims.

I claim: I

l. A street-sweeping machine adapted for mounting on the lift arms of,and propulsion by,-an automotive vehicle, comprising, a casing having atop, front, rear and side walls depending from said top, to form aunitary, openbottomcasing having lower edges lying in anormallyhorizontal first plane, a rotary brush journaled in said casing,between said side walls and adjacent said rear 'wall vehicle, a casinghaving a top, and front, rear and side walls depending from said-top-todefine an integral unit having an open bottom, to lower edges of saidwalls being substantially horizontally coplanar, a rotary brushjournaled in said casing between said side walls and adjacent said rearwall, for rotation about a normally-,

horizontal first axis, a pan having a bottom normally in the plane ofsaid edges and mounted between said side walls for pivoting about asecond axis parallel with said first axis, adjacent said plane andmid-waybetween the front and rear edge of said pan, 'said pan beingurged about said second axis, from a first position substantially insaid plane, to a second position normal thereto, said pan when in saidfirst position having its rearward edge contiguous and parallel withsaid brush, and latch means carried by said casing and releasablyengageable with and holding said pan in said first position, and spacedlugs fixed to said top wall for connecting said machine with therespective distal ends of lift arms of an automotive vehicle, said lugsbeing aligned in and along a normally horizontal'third axis above saidsecond axis.

5. A street-sweeping machine adapted for mounting upon the lift arms of,and propulsion by, anautomotive vehicle, a casing having a top, andfront, rear and side walls depending from said top to define an integralunit having an openbottom, the lower, edges of said walls beingsubstantially horizontally coplanar, a rotary brush journaled in saidcasing between said side walls and adjacent said rear wall, for rotationabout a normally-horizontal first axis, a .pan having a bottom normalyin the plane of said edges and mounted between said side walls forpivoting about a second axis parallel with said first axis, adjacentsaid plane and mid-way between the front and rear edge of said pan, saidpan being urged about said second axis, from a first positionsubstantially in said plane, to a second position normal thereto, saidpan when in said first position having its rearward edge contiguous andparallel with said brush, and latch means carried by said casing andreleasably engageable with and holding said pan in said first position,said pan including a bottom essentialyv coplanar with the pivot axisthereof, and an upstanding rear wall closely adjacent said brush, and anReferences Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 797,794 1,892,34712/32 Jerome.

8/ 05 Currie et a1 298-26 5 Streich 15-50 X Howell 15-83 Wilcox 1583Dunham 1579 Luders 1541 Sobie et a1. 1541 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 39 GreatBritain.

10 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

1. A STREET-SWEEPING MACHINE ADAPTED FOR MOUNTING ON THE LIFT ARMS OF,AND PROPULSION BY, AN AUTOMATIVE VEHICLE, COMPRISING, A CASING HAVING ATOP, FRONT, REAR AND SIDE WALLS DEPENDING FROM SAID TOP, TO FORM AUNITARY, OPENBOTTOM CASING HAVING LOWER EDGES LYING IN ANORMALLYHORIZONTAL FIRST PLANE, A ROTARY BRUSH JOURNALED IN SAID CASING,BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND ADJACENT SAID REAR WALL FOR ROTATION ABOUT ANORMALLY-HORIZONTAL FIRST AXIS, A PAN HAVING A BOTTOM MOUNTED IN SAIDCASING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, AND BETWEEN SAID BRUSH AND FRONT WALL,FOR PIVOTING ABOUT A SECOND AXIS PARALLEL WITH SAID FIRST AXIS ANDADJACENT SAID PLANE, FROM A FIRST POSITION IN SAID PLANE TO A SECONDPOSITION NORMAL THERETO, SAID PAN BEING URGED TO SECOND POSITION, LATCHMEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRONT WALL AND RESILIENTLY URGED INTO POSITIONENGAGING AND RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID PAN IN ITS SAID FIRST POSITIION,AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID CASING AND OPERABLE POSITIVELY TO MOVE SAIDLATCH MEANS OUT OF HOLDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PAN FOR MOVEMENT TO SAIDSECOND POSITION.